Are Nutritional Supplements Good For Dogs?
Nutritional and dietary supplements in the United States do not need to meet with Food and Drug Administration approval before being marketed. The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) of 1994 defined a dietary supplement as a product taken by mouth that contains a “dietary ingredient” intended to supplement the diet. These ingredients may include vitamins, minerals, herbs or other botanicals, amino acids, and some other substances. Under DSHEA, firms and companies are essentially self-regulating. They have to determine that the dietary supplements they manufacture or distribute are safe and that their claims are backed up by some evidence. These dietary supplements do not need FDA approval before they are marketed.
What this means is that there is very little oversight of nutritional supplements in the United States, for people or animals.
Many nutritional supplements are marketed for dogs and owners have been very pleased with their success. Omega fatty acids are used for skin and coat problems, among other things; kelp and algae have been used to provide dogs with iron and minerals; glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate have been used to treat arthritis and joint problems. Many different herbs have been recommended for various ailments, and, indeed, herbal medicine has been an effective way of treating many health issues for centuries. However, when you buy nutritional supplements it’s important to be aware that the quality of the product can vary from one manufacturer to the next, and even from one batch to the next.
Nutritional supplements can be very beneficial to dogs but you should only buy from manufacturers and companies that have a solid reputation for producing a good product. When you purchase nutritional supplements you should find out as much as possible about the manufacturer and the manufacturing process. How is the supplement made? What quality controls are in place? Where do the herbs or other ingredients come from?
Many nutritional supplements make extravagant claims. When you consider purchasing a supplement you should read the labels. What is actually in the product? Do you know what each ingredient is supposed to do? Is there anything in the product that your dog could be allergic to or which could be bad for your dog? Remember that nutritional supplements have both active and inactive ingredients. Your dog might be able to benefit from the active ingredients, such as glucosamine sulfate and MSM, but how would he react to the Hydrolized White Fish and the Organic Garlic in the inactive ingredients? Are those ingredients also acceptable to you? There isn’t anything necessarily wrong with those ingredients, but you should be aware of their presence. Read the label. That particular label, for instance, says “Do not feed if your pet is pregnant or about to be bred.” You don’t want to accidentally feed your dog something that could cause her to abort a litter.
Even something as seemingly harmless as garlic, when used as a supplement, can be controversial. Some dog people swear that when you feed a clove to your dog each day it will repel fleas. Other people claim that since garlic is in the same family as onions it can, like onions, contribute to hemolytic anemias which can be deadly to dogs. Many people recommend rosemary as a good preservative and anti-oxidant. Others claim that it can trigger epileptic seizures in dogs that are prone to them. Vitamin E and flax seed have long been popular among dog lovers but now some people have concerns about whether they may have some negative affects.
It can be difficult to figure out whether your dog needs a nutritional supplement or not. In general, if your dog is healthy and doing well on a good diet, then he probably doesn’t need a nutritional supplement. However, if he has a specific problem, such as a coat problem or joint difficulties, you can talk to your veterinarian first. He may or may not be encouraging about nutritional supplements. He may suggest that you change dog foods to a better food for your dog, which is always a good place to begin. Or, he may be able to point you in the right direction to choosing a good supplement. Look for a supplement that is designed for your dog’s problems and which is made by a reputable manufacturer. When you begin to give your dog a supplement be sure to observe him carefully in case there is any reaction. With luck you will see some improvement, and certainly no worsening of his condition.
Many people go from one nutritional supplement to another, spending a great deal of money. If possible, it’s usually best to see if your vet can diagnose and treat your dog’s problem.
